Ottoman Empire
~ancestors= 11th-century Turkish intruders from Central Asia
*believed that the leadership was a divine right given to chosen family
~Islamic belief= elected sultans
Muhammad III (r. 1595-1603)
Before Muhammad III time (from 800s to approximately 1594):
~princes sent to provinces with tutors and mothers to learn the business of government
~had to compete for the throne
*sultans would kill most of their male relatives but leave one alive for successor
After/during Muhammad III time (any time after 1595):
~princes went to palace called "kafes" (Turkish for "cage")
*lots of time with women=no experience in government
Ghazi (ottoman soldier) principle:
fueled urge for conquest and helped structure society
social groups:
1) men of the pen= judges, imams (prayer leaders), other intellectuals
2) men of the sword= military
3) men of negotations= merchants
4) men of the husbandry= farmers/livestock raisers
on the frontier:
A. askeri (military)
~protect realm and raya
~conquer new territories
B. raya (subjects)
~could become askeri through outstanding military service
Non-Muslims under Ghazi principle:
in Islamic tradition, needed an accepted written holy book to be granted covenant of protection (dhimma) and considered protected by the people (dhimmis)
~paid special poll tax (cizye)
~dominant non-Muslim groups: Jews, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Church
*communities called millets
-each millet headed by own religious dignitary, responsible for: allocation and collection of taxes, education system, internal legal matters (i.e. marriage, divorce, inheritance)
~identity in empire based on religion
Timar system:
~basically the system that sets the rules for each social group
~askeri (dominant military group) given share of agricultural taxes of designated region (several villiages) in return for military service (calvarymen and assistance in provincial administration)
~those given grants (called timarli meaning 'timar-holders' in Turkish) were exempt from taxation
~higher the income, greater the military obligation
Timars rewarded in accordance of land survey (tahrir):
~survey happened when: new area conquered, change in reign, conditions in older area changed sufficiently
~conducted by sanjak (administrative division of province) took: names of all adult male farmers, all sources of wealth in area (farms, orchards, vineyards, mills, farm animals, crops), yeilds, taxes paid on them
~advantages to sultan= knew how many calvarymen to count on, relatively accurate idea of empire income
~timar-holder didn't conduct justice, sultan did
Ghulam system
~ghulam= slave educated and trained for state service (a.k.a. non-Muslims)
~devshirme= slaves chosen for the ghulam school (a.k.a. elite slaves)
*Christian males ages 8-15 taken from home in Balkans to be trained
*brought before sultan to be judged by physical, intelligence, and other qualities to be selected for palace school
*then converted to Islam, versed in its religion and culture, learned Ottoman Turkish, Persian, Arabic, trained in military and social arts
*boys owed alligance to sultan; graduated at 25 years old, assumed high offices in empire, particularly military service/palace guards
*those not selected converted to Islam, worked for rural Turkish farmers, learned vernacular Turkish and folk Islamic culture and became members of elite military infantry (Janissaries)
Ottoman
~in 16th century became cultural-political-sociologial term
~to be Ottoman, must serve in state and religion and know "Ottoman way"
*serving state= position in military, bureaucracy, or religious establishment (all with tax exemption)
*serving religion= Muslim
~high-ranking Greeks (translators for state) and other religions not Ottomans because they weren't Muslim
(all information on this page are from Ottoman Society and Institutions. Encarta Encyclopedia 99. 1999.)
~ancestors= 11th-century Turkish intruders from Central Asia
*believed that the leadership was a divine right given to chosen family
~Islamic belief= elected sultans
Muhammad III (r. 1595-1603)
Before Muhammad III time (from 800s to approximately 1594):
~princes sent to provinces with tutors and mothers to learn the business of government
~had to compete for the throne
*sultans would kill most of their male relatives but leave one alive for successor
After/during Muhammad III time (any time after 1595):
~princes went to palace called "kafes" (Turkish for "cage")
*lots of time with women=no experience in government
Ghazi (ottoman soldier) principle:
fueled urge for conquest and helped structure society
social groups:
1) men of the pen= judges, imams (prayer leaders), other intellectuals
2) men of the sword= military
3) men of negotations= merchants
4) men of the husbandry= farmers/livestock raisers
on the frontier:
A. askeri (military)
~protect realm and raya
~conquer new territories
B. raya (subjects)
~could become askeri through outstanding military service
Non-Muslims under Ghazi principle:
in Islamic tradition, needed an accepted written holy book to be granted covenant of protection (dhimma) and considered protected by the people (dhimmis)
~paid special poll tax (cizye)
~dominant non-Muslim groups: Jews, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Church
*communities called millets
-each millet headed by own religious dignitary, responsible for: allocation and collection of taxes, education system, internal legal matters (i.e. marriage, divorce, inheritance)
~identity in empire based on religion
Timar system:
~basically the system that sets the rules for each social group
~askeri (dominant military group) given share of agricultural taxes of designated region (several villiages) in return for military service (calvarymen and assistance in provincial administration)
~those given grants (called timarli meaning 'timar-holders' in Turkish) were exempt from taxation
~higher the income, greater the military obligation
Timars rewarded in accordance of land survey (tahrir):
~survey happened when: new area conquered, change in reign, conditions in older area changed sufficiently
~conducted by sanjak (administrative division of province) took: names of all adult male farmers, all sources of wealth in area (farms, orchards, vineyards, mills, farm animals, crops), yeilds, taxes paid on them
~advantages to sultan= knew how many calvarymen to count on, relatively accurate idea of empire income
~timar-holder didn't conduct justice, sultan did
Ghulam system
~ghulam= slave educated and trained for state service (a.k.a. non-Muslims)
~devshirme= slaves chosen for the ghulam school (a.k.a. elite slaves)
*Christian males ages 8-15 taken from home in Balkans to be trained
*brought before sultan to be judged by physical, intelligence, and other qualities to be selected for palace school
*then converted to Islam, versed in its religion and culture, learned Ottoman Turkish, Persian, Arabic, trained in military and social arts
*boys owed alligance to sultan; graduated at 25 years old, assumed high offices in empire, particularly military service/palace guards
*those not selected converted to Islam, worked for rural Turkish farmers, learned vernacular Turkish and folk Islamic culture and became members of elite military infantry (Janissaries)
Ottoman
~in 16th century became cultural-political-sociologial term
~to be Ottoman, must serve in state and religion and know "Ottoman way"
*serving state= position in military, bureaucracy, or religious establishment (all with tax exemption)
*serving religion= Muslim
~high-ranking Greeks (translators for state) and other religions not Ottomans because they weren't Muslim
(all information on this page are from Ottoman Society and Institutions. Encarta Encyclopedia 99. 1999.)